Marion County, Indianapolis Rat Control Situation:
Hello David, I have been reading the information that you have on line about squirrels in the attic. We have something in our attic and cannot figure out what it is, nor have we been able to trap it, nor has it been caught in a rat trap. I hear this creature or creatures ??? during the day, as well as at night. There does not seem to be a particular favorite time that they move around. Perhaps the morning is very quiet, and there is more activity in the afternoon and evening. My bedroom is quite a distance from the area that we hear this creature in, so I would not hear it at night even if it is moving around a lot at night.
I mostly have heard scratching in the walls, and at one point did hear a big thud. The odd thing about this creature is this. We set a live trap with peanut butter in it, and what ever it is carried large pieces of insulation inside the trap to cover the peanut butter. Like really large- maybe a 6 X 6 inch piece. We feel the trap was not set properly because it did not shut. Next day we put meat in it, thinking it may be an animal that would want meat like an opossum. All this time our rat traps have remained in place but this creature DAILY overs all the traps with insulation....without getting caught. We have not seen anything enter or leave. We found one area that is gapping between he house and fascia but only maybe a 3" opening. We do know for sure that there is enter way at the garage floor. We will put foam insulation in those areas this weekend to hopefully stop rats or whatever it is up there from entering and will continue our trapping efforts. We live north of Indianapolis IN in the country on one acre. Our house is 7 years old; made of brick.
By my description, do you have any idea what we might be dealing with, and any suggestions on how to catch this creature? I appreciate all the info your web site; I just cant find anything that remotely sounds like what we have going on with this creature attempting to bury the traps with insulation. Many thanks for any advice. Jill
Why don't you have a wildlife expert inspect the house and attic in order to determine what the animal is? It could be raccoons or opossums, not necessarily rats. The feces and tracks in the attic, and the nature of the entry holes should tell you what animal you're dealing with.
Indianapolis Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Can I Get Rid Of A Rat In My Bedroom?
Fill In Gaps And Cracks:
It's likely that there could be areas across your bedroom where rats can easily enter into your home. This could mean filling in cracks and gaps along the baseboard of your room or at the top of your room where the ceiling meets it. Filling in these gaps and cracks will make sure that a rat cannot enter and leave freely.
Remove Food:
If you regularly keep old plates and food in your bedroom it is important to remove these items and clean up your room as quickly as possible. More areas for rats to hide and more food sources will make sure that a rat will continually go back to that room.
Trim Overhanging Branches:
If you have branches that overhang to a window in your bedroom or hang close to the roof of your bedroom, you should trim them back as this can be a perfect way that rats can access your property.
Set Traps That Are Not Dangerous To Pets:
It's likely that you still want to have your pets in your bedroom so you will need to use a trap that is safe for your room and that will also be widely effective at catching rats. Making sure that you are using a safe trap to remove a rat is a great way to capture an animal that has been getting into your bedroom. Rats can spread poison easily so you should never consider using a poison trap, especially in the bedroom.
Remove Nesting Material Often:
If you find nesting material around your bedroom or in the walls, make sure that you are removing it often to discourage rats from breeding and setting up for a long time in your room.
